Aliaksei Protas Nets First NHL Hat Trick, Ovechkin Dishes Three Assists as Capitals Defeat Ducks 7-4
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Aliaksei Protas recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career, while Alex Ovechkin and Pierre-Luc Dubois each notched three points, leading the Washington Capitals to a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. The win extended Washington’s streak to five consecutive games.
Late Surge Secures Capitals’ Victory
The game remained deadlocked at 4-4 until Washington erupted with three goals in the final 6:35. Nic Dowd put the Capitals ahead at 13:25 of the third period, followed by an insurance goal from Anthony Beauvillier with 1:36 left. Protas then sealed his hat trick with an empty-net goal with just 17 seconds remaining.
Ovechkin, still chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 goals, contributed with three assists. Dubois added a goal and two assists, while Dylan Strome also found the net. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 25 saves for Washington.
Tom Wilson and Brandon Duhaime each recorded two assists for the Capitals.
Ducks’ Effort Falls Short
Anaheim’s Frank Vatrano, Drew Helleson, and Pavel Mintyukov each tallied a goal and an assist, while Jacob Trouba also scored. Ducks netminder Lukas Dostal faced a barrage of shots, stopping 36 of them.
Rookie Sam Colangelo saw his four-game goal streak come to an end.
Key Moments & Stats
- Key Moment: Jacob Trouba’s first-period goal at 4:51 tied the game at 1-1, breaking his 94-game goal drought. It also marked his first goal since joining the Ducks. His last goal came on January 4, 2024, when he was with the New York Rangers.
- Key Stat: On his bobblehead night, Ducks forward Leo Carlsson registered an assist on Helleson’s goal, surpassing Trevor Zegras for the third-most points by a Ducks player under the age of 20. The 2023 second-overall draft pick now has 58 points (26 goals, 32 assists) in 81 career games.
Takeaways
- Capitals: Washington has now scored seven goals in a game for the sixth time this season, the most of any team in the league.
- Ducks: Despite strong individual performances, Anaheim struggled to contain Washington’s offense, especially in the final minutes.
The Capitals will look to extend their winning streak as they continue their road trip, while the Ducks aim to bounce back in their next outing.
Keywords:
capitals vs ducks,washington capitals,anaheim ducks,aliaksei protas,ducks,nhl games today,